Metallic crate



g- 4, 1931- A. E. DAVENPORT 1,817,805

METALLIC CRATE Filed April 5, 1929 as UIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILVIII/III Fig I 5 J Eu construction,

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES ARTHUR E.- DAVENPORT, OF HAYWOOD, ILLINOIS METALLIC caa'rn Application filed April 5, 1929. Serial No. 852,810.

This invention relates to improvements in metallic crates and has for its primary object the provision of light-weight, durable and efficient crate adapted for the handling and shipment of glass bottles particularly.

It is another object of the invention to so construct the crate as to effect the secure retention of the bottles in upright relatively spaced order therein, and wherein the crate W has been designed to protect the bottles during handling and shipment to the end of preventing breakage of the bottles when the crate is subjected to severe shocks and jars.

A further object of the invention rests in constructing the crate so that the bottles may be viewed when positioned or retained therei in and, further, to so form the crate that while it provides maximum mechanical strength and aflords complete protection to the bottles, yet it is extremely light in weight in order to facilitate its manual handling.

With these and other objects in view, it will appear as the description proceeds that the invention consists in novel features of combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved shipping crate comprising the present invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the crate,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a detail view showing the metal raci: flexed in response to bottle pressures, an

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates my improved crate in its entirety. In the s ec1fic embodiment thereof herein selected or illustrative and descriptive purposes, the crate is formed to include a plurality ofvertically extending, relatively spaced, angle-bars or members 1. These members have their lower ends connected by weldin or riveting with the upstanding margina flanges 2 provided upon a horizontally extending metallic bottom plate 3. The u per ends of the members 1 are connecte in a similar manner with a substantially rectangular frame 4 whlch, in combination with the leg members and the bottom plate 3, provide a rigid frame structure of requisite strength. The structure is further braced or reinforced by means of an intermediate frame 5, which is rigidly connected with the members 1 at positions intermediate of their length. The upper flange 4 carries hinges 6 along one side thereof, to which is connected a swinging metallic top plate 7, by which the open upper end of the frame structure is adapted to be closed during periods of storage or shipment, and to be opened for bottle removalpurposes. The top plate 7 and the frame 4 are provided with openings permitting of the use of a sealing device 8 which prevents the cover from bemgsurreptitiously raised, and avoidin tampermg with the contents of the crate. he crate is especially designed for holdmg elongated glass bottles. These bottles are indicated by the numeral 9, and although they may be used for any purpose, the said bottles are especially desi ed toreceive lubricatingoils of the kin employed in the lubricating of internal combustion en es. These bottles are of substantiallyunlform diameter throughout the major portion of their length and have their open upper ends closed by means of the customary crimped metallic caps 10. To retain these bottles in fixed spaced positions within the crate, I have provided a plurality of spacing racks 11 and 12. These racks are of identical construction and consist of flat metallic strips which are formed to provide a pluralit of poligonal pockets 13. The side walls of t ese poc ets may frictionally engage with the corresponding walls of the bottles 9 to confine the latter to fixed positions within the crate. The rack 11 is mounted immediately adjacent to the bottom plate 3, while the u per rack is disposed within the confines o the intermediate frame 5. These racks, there- 100 to the bottles.

fore engage with the lower portions of the bottles 9 and with the intermediate portions of the latter, and effectively prevent the bottles from striking one another when disposed within the crate. It will be observed thatthe pockets 13 are so situated that a maximum number of bottles may cbe'retained within the crate. In other words, there is a compact grouping of the bottles to secure 10 complete utilization of the cubical dimensions of the crate and yet this is accomplished in such manner as to provide for a proper relative spacing of the bottles to prevent the latter from striking one another during the handling of the crate.

The racks as shown in Figure 3, are formed from metal strips which are partly bent and arranged to prevent breakage of the bottles.

For example, in Figure 3, the bottles have been indicated by the letters D, E and. F. The bottle D contacts directl with the metallic strips at the points indicated at a and similarly, the bottles E and F contact with the side walls of the pockets 13 as indicated 5 by the points marked bb. These points are in spaced relation from-the points a, and

since the metallic strips forming the racks.

11 and 12 are formed from a resilient material it follows that the side stri s to a limited degree are permitted to ben or flex in response to bottle pressures. Thus the bottles do not directly impart thrusts to one another, but such thrusts are in the main absorbed through the resiliency of the metal strips. The adjoining bottles E and F, for

example, do not come into direct contact with the strips at the points marked c--0, but are spaced apart an appreciable distance to admit of the flexing or resiliency above noted. This 0 construction renders the crate well suited for the handling of glass bottles wherein care must be exercised to avoid breaking of the bottles when the crates are handled in 'a rough or careless way. In the modification of the crate also tend to facilitate this feature. The bottles are securely retained when locked in the crate against relative movement, or at least against such movement that will tend to result in breakage or damage The crate may be employed as a medium for shipping or expressing a number of such bottles, and its construction is such as to render it acceptable to commercial carriers. Further the crate may be employed for the display of bottles, since the sides thereof are open and permit the and pumps heretofore largely used in the seiling and handling of motor lubricating 01 s.

What is claimed is:

1. In a metallic shipping crate, a frame structure, spacing means rigidly mounted in a horizontal plane within said frame structure for maintaining in spaced relationship a plurality of vertically disposed substantially cylindrical bottles which are adapted to be contained within the crate, said spacin means being formed to comprise a lura ity of thin, relativel flat an ularly ent metallic strips relative y joine to provide bottle receiving pockets, each having a lurality of angular side walls, the sa1d poc ets belng separated by a single thickness of resillent metal, the angular formation of the walls of said pockets being such that bottles posltioned in adjoining pockets enga e with the common wall between said 00 ets at points spaced longitudinally of sa1d common wall, whereb sa1d wall is permitted to flex between the ottle en aging portions thereof in response to ban ing forces.

2. In a metallic shipping crate, a frame structure, spacing means rigidly mounted in a horizontal plane within said frame structure and formed to include a pluralit of angularly walled bottle receiving pockets, each of said ockets possessing a substantially diamon -shaped confi ration whereby a. substantially cylindrlcal body positioned in any one of said pockets will enga e at four points with the walls thereof, t e bottle engaging portions of said pockets being formed from relatively thin and resilient metallic strips, the joinin portions of said pockets being separated by but a single thickness of said strips, the configuration of said pockets being such that bottles retained in adjoining pockets engage with the common wall separating them at longitudinally spaced points, whereby that portion of the wall lying between the bottle engaging portions thereof is permitted to flex in response to handling forces.

3. In a metallic shipping crate, a frame structure, spacing devices stationarily mounted in a horizontal plane within said frame structure, said s acing devices consisting of a pluralit of adjoining substantially corrugated at metallic strips arranged relativel and secured to said frame structure to pro uce a plurality of angularly walled pockets having substantially diamond-shaped configuration, said pockets be ing adapted for the reception of substantially cylindrical bottles, the bottle engaging walls of adjoining pockets being separated by a single thickness of said strips, the shape of said pockets being such that bottles contained in adjoining pockets engage with the single thickness of the strip separating them at points spaced longitudinally of the strip,

whereby that portion of the strip lying between the bottle engaging portions thereof is permitted to flex in response to handling forces.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR E. DAVENPORT. 

